91 mins Full time. The Mexican fans are urging the ref to blow for full-time. Palencia swings the ball into the Croatian penalty area trying to pick out Hernandez. Pletikosa gathers and finds Rapaic. Palencia takes the ball from him and the ref blows for full-time. Mexico take the points in the opening game of Group G. A fairly boring encounter by any standards and the best team won.

87 mins Mexico clear the corner. Mario Stanic, hardly a man renowned for his clinical finishing, is playing up front for Croatia. Mirko Jozic brought him on after the sending off and penalty. Why him and not a forward? God only knows. Croatia win a free just inside the Mexican half. The ball is floated in and Mexico clear their lines courtesy of an overhead kick from Mercado. From a throw in, a Croatian flicks the ball on and Simunic blasts the ball into the side netting. It was a near miss. Very sloppy defending by the Mexicans.

84 mins Mexico almost double their lead with a Caballero header but Croatia clear. the ball comes back into the Croatian box and Morales shoots. Pletikosa parries. Croatia attack courtesy of Rapaic, who wins a corner.

81 mins This match has died a death since Mexico scored. Croatia have used all their substitutes and are playing with no strikers. Very strange, consdering they're behind and there's only seven minutes left. Hernandez is put through on goal but is denied by Pletikosa when the ball runs too far ahead of him.

77 mins Nothing interesting has happened for six minutes. Absolutely nothing! It's woeful rubbish. Croatia don't seem even remotely concerned by the fact that they're a goal and a man down and there isn't a hint of urgency about their play. Mexico attack, the ball is squared and, under pressure, Morales scuffs his shot wide. Mexico's goalscorer Blanco is taken off and replaced by Francisco Pallencia, who sports a mightily impressive ponytail. It's infinitely more ridiculous than David Seaman's big mid-life crisis hair.

71 mins It's hard to see where Croatia are going to find a goal here. They certainly need one, because whoever loses this game is in big trouble in Group G. The winners of this encounter, on the other hand, will probably proceed to the second round with Italy, although I could be doing Ecuador a grave injustice. They might be a lot handier than people are giving them credit for.

67 mins Croatia are a goal behind, down to 10 men and are currently playing without a recognised striker. What's that all about? I don't know. Mexico make a substitution: Luis Hernandez comes on for Borguetti, the man guilty of the miss of the tournament so far.

64 mins Soldo attempts a speculative shot from a long way out and Perez fumbles what should have been an easy collect for the Mexican goalkeeper. The ball squirms out of his grasp and wide for a corner. Croatia have made a substitution: Davor Suker has been sacrificed and Anthony Seric has been brought on in defence. Chelsea's Mario Stanic comes on for Alan Boksic, whose World Cup debut has been anything but spectacular.

60 minsGoal: Croatia 0 - 1 Mexico Blanco was put through on goal by a deft back-heel and Zivkovic hacked him down in the box. It was unquestionably a penalty, but the referee compounded Croatia's misery by sending off Zivkovic, presumably because he was the last man back. It was probably a bit harsh. Blanco took the penalty and buried it. The goalkeeper made it very easy for him by moving incredibly early.

57 mins Mexico Borguetti finds himself alone with the ball at his feet at the left side of the Croatian box. He fires in a cross but Caballero fails to connect. Mexico attack again and win a penalty.

53 mins Croatia get a free in Beckham teritory (is it still Beckham territory even if he's not playing?) Rapaic, the substitute, takes it and hammers it low, hard and left of the wall. It fizzes narrowly wide. Close, but no cigar.

51 mins Mexico attack down the Croatian left wing. Kovac brings him down and the ball finds its way to Torrado, whose shot squirts harmlessly wide. This game could really do with a score, but I really can't see anyone scoring in the next five minutes. (That's fate being tempted, in case you didn't notice.)

48 mins The second half has started much as the first finished, with Croatia looking dangerous from set pieces and Mexico threatening on the break. It's probably the poorest game of the competition so far, although Germany's rout of Saudi Arabia was fairly dreary, once it stopped being funny.

46 mins Croatia win a free wide on the left. The ball is swung in, somebody (sorry, didn't see who) gets a head to it but Perez saves comfortably. Prosinecki has been substituted and Fenerbahce's Milan Rapaic is on in his place.

Half-time

43 mins "Me-hee-co! Me-hee-co! Ra! Ra! Ra!" Mexico's fans are the more verbose of the two sets of supporters. One minute of over-time will be played in the first half of a very poor game. It's very hard to be enthusiastic about anything this early in the morning, but this game hasn't been worth watching so far. It badly needs a goal and Borguetti should have scored one. Mexico win a corner after Nico Kovac is forced to concede a corner while covering his brother's position. Blanco curls it in and Marquez makes fleeting contact.

39 mins Mexico go forward again. Blanco attempts his trademark bunny-hop to get past two players. (That one from France 98 where he clamps both feet around the ball and jumps.) It fails utterly and he ends up on his backside looking like Frank LeBeouf after a hard day at the office against Senegal. Nevertheless, the ball finds its way to Cabellero who shoots straight at Pletikosa. There's very little between the two sides, although Mexico should be ahead.

34 mins Jarni hoists a long throw into the Mexican box, but the ball ends up with goalkeeper Perez. Mexico get a free deep in the Croatian half on the right hand side. Vidrio comes forward and Luna swings in a good cross with his left foot. It curls towards goal and Pletikosa plucks it confidently form the air.

32 mins Morales mis-hits a shot and drags the ball across the Croatian box. It comes to Borguetti who misses an absolute sitter from six yards. It would have been easier for him to score than miss, but he still managed to stick it wide. On the sideline, his manager is most displeased. A big, big let-off for Croatia.

29 mins Simunic concedes a needless corner. Morales takes it short and the ball is blasted against Zivkovic who concedes another corner. Blanco gets his head to it but it hits it straight at the goalkeeper who saves easily.

27 mins Vidrio sets up another Mexican assault. He sprays the ball around midfield a bit, loses it, wins it back and Luna rolls a pass behind Morales along the edge of the Croatian penalty area. It's no good to him there.

25 mins Croatia win a free about half-way between the Mexican penalty area and the halfway line. Prosinecki swings it in and Mexico hoof it clear. Mexico attack and Blanco crosses. Once again, Borguetti fails to impose himself in the Croatian penalty area.

20 mins Croatia win a corner after Nico Kovac's cross is put out by a Mexican. Prosinecki crosses, and for the third time from a corner, Simunic wins the header but Mexico fail to capitalise on his knock-down. Mexico clear. After a flurry of passing, Croatia win another corner - their fifth. Robert Prosinecki makes a pig's ear of it.

18 mins Mexico are getting more and more confident and are now attacking Croatia down both flanks. Nothing they've attempted has made the Croatians look too uncomfortable.

16 mins Blanco embarks on another sortie down the right wing and is bundled over the touch-line by Robert Kovac. Mexico retrieve possession and the ball is crossed from the right again, but Borguetti fails to connect.

14 mins Blanco finds himself in space down the right wing and attempts to find the unmarked Borguetti in the centre with a cross. The ball is intercepted.

13 mins From a corner Siminic knocks the ball down to Soldo who puts it over the bar. It was a good chance, if he could have kept it down.

10 mins Niko Kovac finds Davor Suker with a great cross-field ball. Suker attempts to volley it on the run and blasts it harmlessly wide.

7 mins Mexico clear from the Prosinecki's corner and win a throw deep in Croiatian territory. Mexican captain Marquez picks up the ball in midfield and finds Torrado, who is promptly relieved of possession by Boksic. the ball is hoofed around midfield with both teams seeming very careless about maintaining possession.

2 mins Mexico attack and Simunic puts the ball out for a throw, which Morales takes. He receives the ball back from Luna and sprints down the wing towards the byeline. He goes down under a challenge but no free is given. Croatia attack and Cabellero concedes a free deep inside his own half. Jarni lofts in a good cross which Simunic heads to bring a good save out of Mexican keeper Perez. Corner for Croatia.

1 min Another day, another early morning kick-off. The sun is shining, Ozzy Osbourne is playing Buckingham Palace later today and Croatia are playing Mexico in the Big Swan stadium. Alan Boksic makes his World Cup debut today at the age of 32, having missed out four years ago through injury. His side play from right to left in their red and white checked shirts, while Mexico line out in green. Mr Lu blows his whistle and Mexico kick off. Croatia win a free about 10 yards outside the Mexican penalty area, straight in front of goal. Prosinecki stands over it and proceeds to welly it high over the bar.